Device for changing a floor treating machine from a waxing machine to a vacuum cleaner



Jan. 4, 1966 E. wbRwAc; 3,226,759

DEVICE FOR CHANGING A FLOOR TREATING MACHINE FROM A WAXING MACHINE TO AVACUUM CLEANER Filed Dec. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Eberhard Wr'wa Jan.4, 1966 E. wbRwAs 3,226,759

DEVICE FOR CHANGING A FLOOR TREATING MACHINE FROM A WAXING MACHINE TO AVACUUM CLEANER Filed Dec. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenfor: EberhardWr wag United States Patent 3,226,759 DEVICE FOR CHANGING A FLOORTREATING MACHINE FROM A WAXING MACHINE TO A VACUUM CLEANER EberhardWfirwag, Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to Mauz 8: Pfeiffer,Stuttgart-Botnang, Germany Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,931 Claimspriority, application Germany, Dec. 21, 1961,

3 Claims. (Cl. 15- 328) The present invention relates to an arrangementfor use with simple waxing machines which have no vacuum cleaning unit.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement by means ofwhich a waxing machine of the type set forth in the precediing sentencewill be able to operate as vacuum cleaner. i

It is another object of this invention to provide an ar rangement as setforth above which can easily be applied to ordinary waxing machines.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates in side view and partially in section a waxingmachine equipped with an arrangement according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the arrangement of FIG. 1, the waxing brushbeing omitted and the bottom of the suction chamber of the vacuumcleaning unit being broken open.

FIG. 3 is a view seen in the direction of the arrow A of a reinforcementcontaining portion of the machine according to the present invention.

The arrangement according to the present invention primarily comprises avacuum cleaning or suction unit having its own electric drive and beingprovided with a dust collector while being supported by frame meanscomprising conduit means connected with and extending around the waxingmachine so as to form a dust pickup and dust conveying channel whichopens in downward direction, i.e. toward the area to be cleaned. Theconduit means is preferably arranged at the place where usually ashock-absorbing ring is connected to the housing of the waxing machinewhile simultaneously also acting as shock-absorbing ring. The suctionunit comprising a suction blower may be driven by any high-speed smallelectric motor which is independent of the driving motor for the waxingmachine so that it is irrelevant whether the waxing machine is driven bya cage rotor motor with relatively low speed and relatively much spacerequirement and weight or whether the waxing machine is driven by highspeed collector motors with low volume and additional drive. The drivingmotor for the suc tion unit thus does not require an additionaltransmission. Furthermore, the blower wheel and also the space andweight requirement of the suction unit may be kept rather smallregardless of the type of drive selected for the waxing machine.

According to a further development of the present invention, the conduitmeans forming the dust pickup and conveying channel may be made of amaterial which is sufficiently elastic to permit the mounting of saidconduit means on waxing machines of different diameters or differentouter contour. In this connection, it may be mentioned that thearrangement according to the invention is suitable for waxing machinesof various contours, i.e. of round contour, rectangular contour, squarecontour or triangular contour or the like. The connection of the dustpickup and conveying conduit means to the waxing machine may be effectedmerely by friction, especially 3,226,759 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 when saidconduit means is of elastic material, or it may be screwed to thehousing in any convenient manner. If desired, the supporting means forthe suction unit may consist of one piece with the dust pickup andconveying conduit means. In this instance, it may be advantageous inorder to prevent a deformation at the connection of the brush 2 forWaxing the floor 3. Connected to the housing 1 in customary manner is aguiding bar 4 for handling the waxing machine.

Connected to the lower portion of the housing 1 preferably at the areawhere customarily a shock-absorbing ring is located, is a structuralmember 6 which extends around the housing portion 5 and forms adownwardly opening channel 7 acting as dust pickup and conveyingchannel. The structural member 6 has a rearwardly extending section 6awhich serves as supporting means for the suction unit generallydesignated 12. The structural member 6 may be connected to the housingeither by friction or in any other convenient manner as for instance bymeans of screws.

As will be evident from FIG. 2, the rear outer wall of the annularchannel 7 is provided with an outlet opening 8 through which saidchannel communicates with the suction chamber 9 of the suction unit 12.The suction unit 12 furthermore comprises a blower wheel 10 rotatable bya small auxiliary motor 11 and adapted to create a suction effect inchannel 7 and to draw the dust-loaded air therefrom into said suctionchamber 9 and to convey the air from the latter into a dust collector 13connected to the suction unit 12 and acting in a manner known per se asfilter. The air drawn into and from the suction chamber 9 simultaneouslyacts as cooling air for the motor 11.

In order to improve the rigidity of that portion of the conduit means 6,7 which merges with the extension 6a, the said portion may be reinforcedby metallic inserts.

Such inserts 17 are shown in section in FIGURE 2 and in dash lines inFIGURE 3.

According to another development of the invention, the rear portion ofthe suction unit 12 may be supported by supporting rollers 16 carried bya shaft 15 connected to the extension 6a.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Thus, for instance, the extension 6a may also form a separate part fromthe conduit means 6, 7 and may be connected thereto or to the housing inany convenient manner. Furthermore, if the housing unit 12 forms a partseparate from the conduit means 6, 7, it may also be mounted on top ofthe housing 1 and having its inlet connected through a hose with theoutlet 8 while the dust collecting bag 13 may additionally be connectedto the bar 4.

What I claim is:

1. For use in connection with a floor treating implement, especiallywaxing machine, which has a housing, a rotary brush rotatable within andprotruding downwardly from said housing, a motor arranged within saidhousing and drivingly connected to said brush, and a handle connected tosaid housing for guiding said implement over the floor to be treated: anannular member connected to the lower portion of said housing andforming an inverted annular trough surrounding said downwardlyprotruding brush portion and having a substantially horizontal extensionindependent of said handle and located at substantially the level ofsaid annular member, and a suction unit including a motor and beingsupported by said extension whereby said suction unit is located lowabove the floor to be treated, said extension unit having a conduittherein directly connecting said trough with said suction unit andthereby establishing a short connection therebetween, the motor of saidsuction unit being operable independently of the motor of said floortreating implement to thereby permit operation of said floor treatmentimplement selectively with and without operation of said suction unit.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said extension isintegral with said annular member and tapers in a direction away fromsaid annular member, that portion of said extension which merges withsai annular member having metallic inserts therein for strengtheningsaid merging portion.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, which includes wheel meansjournalled in said extension for continuous engagement with the floor tobe treated for additionally supporting said extension on the fioor to betreated by said implement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,152,352 3/1939Holt. 2,221,315 11/1940 Okun 15-49 X 2,663,893 12/1953 Percy 153282,801,437 8/1957 Okun 15-328 X 3,064,292 11/1962 Fillery 15-385 XFOREIGN PATENTS 844,370 4/ 1939 France. 1,124,748 7/ 1956 France.

275,734 9/1951 Switzerland.

20 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner.

1. FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A FLOOR TREATING IMPLEMENT, ESPECIALLYWAXING MACHINE, WHICH HAS A HOUSING, A ROTARY BRUSH ROTATABLE WITHIN ANDPROTRUDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID HOUSING, A MOTOR ARRANGED WITHIN SAIDHOUSING AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID BRUSH, AND A HANDLE CONNECTED TOSAID HOUSING FOR GUIDING SAID IMPLEMENT OVER THE FLOOR TO BE TREATED; ANANNULAR MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOUSING ANDFORMING AN INVERTED ANNULAR TROUGH SURROUNDING SAID DOWNWARDLYPROTRUDING BRUSH PORTION AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL EXTENSIONINDEPENDENT OF SAID OF SAID HANDLE AND LOCATED AT SUBSTANTIALLY THELEVEL OF SAID ANNULAR MEMBER, AND A SUCTION UNIT INCLUDING A MOTOR ANDBEING SUPPORTED BY SAID EXTENSION WHEREBY SAID SUCTION UNIT IS LOCATEDLOW ABOVE THE FLOOR TO BE TREATED, SAID EXTENSION UNIT HAVING A CONDUITTHEREIN DIRECTLY CONNECTING SAID TROUGH WITH SAID SUCTION UNIT ANDTHEREBY ESTABLISHING A SHORT CONNECTION